Natural rubber is influenced and limited by the latitude and climate by which it is grown. Therefore, the demand for synthetic rubber has grown exponentially. Due to rising environmental and health concerns related to rubber, biobased and sustainable alternatives are necessary. This presentation explores the current mitigation strategies to combat conventionally used synthetic rubbers.

This project seeks to invent novel chemical pathways from phosphate raw material inputs to value-added phosphorus chemicals of commercial importance. Traditionally, the phosphorus chemicals industry has utilized carbothermal reduction of mined phosphate rock in the production of white phosphorus as the starting point for all reduced phosphorus chemicals. This example of industrial redox malpractice needs to be replaced, and we are calling for the production of white phosphorus to be rendered obsolete.

Over the past century, one of the most enduring challenges in drug discovery has been the large proportion of the human proteome considered “undruggable.” The key reasons are twofold: most protein surfaces are relatively flat, and many proteins are unstructured and highly flexible. As a result, over 85% of human proteins remain inaccessible to traditional small-molecule inhibitors. Furthermore, conventional inhibitors are typically reversible, necessitating sustained high concentrations in the body to maintain therapeutic effects.

Asymmetric C–H functionalization offers a direct and efficient approach for constructing chiral C–C and C–X bonds, streamlining access to complex molecules. Traditionally, this transformation relies on transition metal catalysis using noble metals such as iridium and rhodium, however their scarcity and high cost limit widespread application. To address these challenges, the Cramer group explored cobalt(III) as a more abundant alternative, demonstrating its potential for asymmetric C–H functionalization.

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) has emerged as a powerful mechanistic framework for driving challenging bond activations in organic synthesis. By coupling proton and electron transfer in a single kinetic step, PCET allows access to reactive radical intermediates under mild conditions that would otherwise require strongly reducing reagents.